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Talk:Jastara
Jastara: Gilk and/or Semk? OK, there has been some discussion on the wiki as to whether or not the single mention of Jastara being a "Semk" at the end of "The Crippled God"The Crippled God, Chapter 20, US HC p.577 is somehow correct, or is some sort of error. In three other places in tCG, Jastara was identified as being a Gilk.The Crippled God, Chapter 3, US HC p.86 & p.87The Crippled God, Chapter 11, US HC p.322 When I was compiling the CG ExtDP, I came across this occurrence of "Semk" in Chapter 20 and at the time gave the whole matter serious thought. Aside from anything else, it is made perfectly clear that Jastara had married Gall's favorite eldest son.The Crippled God, Chapter 3, US HC p.85-86The Crippled God, Chapter 11, US HC p.322 If this made Jastara anything but a Gilk, it would have made her a member of the Khundryl Burned Tears. However, Gall specifically says to Jastara: "You are not Khundryl born...you are Gilk".The Crippled God, Chapter 3, US HC p.86 Jastara then immediately says to Gall: "I am Gilk, as you say."The Crippled God, Chapter 3, US HC p.87 The Gilk were members of the White Face Barghast, and in DD and CG they were led by Spax. I assumed, although it is not actually mentioned (which is why I did not say so in the "Jastara" article), that Jastara and Gall's eldest son had at least met, and had probably wed when both Gall's Khundryl and Spax's Gilk were both (at the same time) in the Kingdom of Bolkando in "Dust of Dreams". It is difficult to see how Jastara could, in any way, be considered a "Semk". So, I stand by my conclusion, stated in the "Trivia" section of "Jastara", that this mention of "Semk" is almost certainly an error of some sort - probably by the author - but perhaps due to something else ; ) Pcwrcw (talk) 03:39, May 30, 2019 (UTC) ::Hmmm... that still leaves room for ambiguity as far as I can see. Her retort to Gall includes 'as **you** say', which is a phrase that could easily be interpreted to mean that she doesn't herself see it that way. She may have been with the Gilk but that does not make her Gilk-born. If it was a case of her saying she had been Gillk or similar, then a typo could reasonably be assumed but when it is a totally different word, then we should allow that it might have been deliberate. ::The context of her saying or thinking (not entirely clear) that she is Semk is also interesting. She tells Gall that she will make his screams drown out the world and asks whether he has forgotten - and at that point says or thinks about being Semk. The Semk according to our Wiki entry "had a reputation as fierce warriors who kept captive enemies alive so that they could torture them". Now this could be her psyching herself up to 'I can be like a Semk if I have to' but given her earlier 'as you say' and the fact that she tells Gall that he may have forgotten... we have to allow for the possibility that SE had a crib sheet for Jastara that it may have said something like 'born Semk, grew up amongst Gilk, wed into Burned Tears'. ::If there is no definite evidence of her being actually Gilk born than that bit needs to be taken out and added to the speculations section. The Semk page equally needs a speculations section to reflect her possible background. ::Egwene of the Malazan Empire (talk) 18:06, May 30, 2019 (UTC) Well, Egwene, I think you're reaching a bit, but I have reworded Jastara, trying to take your point of view into account. If you want to include further thoughts in a "Speculations" section, feel free. Cheers, Pcwrcw (talk) 03:02, May 31, 2019 (UTC) ::Possibly, but if there is even a hint of ambiguity, then we should reflect that in the Wiki and allow readers to make their own interpretation. Thanks for making the changes. I have renamed the section 'Speculation' and linked to this page so hopefully, that covers all angles. Egwene of the Malazan Empire (talk) 14:54, May 31, 2019 (UTC) Notes and references